Bailey dismisses retirement talk

Australia batsman George Bailey says he still has aspirations to play in next year’s World T20 in India and insists he has not retired from the shortest format of the game.

Bailey was overlooked for selection for Monday’s one-off T20 international loss against England in Cardiff and has not played 20-over cricket for Australia since the group-stage exit at last year’s World T20 in Bangladesh.

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A Cricket Australia spokesperson confirmed the 32-year-old’s ambition to continue playing T20 cricket for his country.

“George has spoken to the selectors and team management and stressed his desire to feature in the Twenty20 international squad in the future and to be part of the team that travels to the ICC World Twenty20 in India next year,” the statement said.

“The selectors and team management are fully supportive of that and now it’s up to George to put the performances on the board to give himself the best chance of selection.”

Bailey’s T20I career has been a unique one to date.

In January 2012, Bailey became only the second Australian to debut as captain, behind Dave Gregory in the inaugural Test match in 1877, when he led his nation against India at Sydney Olympic Park.

The hard-hitting right-hander has captained every match he’s played for Australia in T20 cricket, taking his side to the World T20 semi-final in 2012 and series wins against England and South Africa.

Image Id: ~/media/957EFA08E11A4FE7842F97D0993F0DE2

George Bailey bats during the 2012 World T20 // Getty Images

Bailey’s experience as captain at T20I and state level, along with weight of runs for Tasmania, saw him lead Australia in one-day international cricket in January 2013 in place of the injured Michael Clarke – a position he has taken on 29 occasions.

And it’s in the 50-over format where Bailey has found most success, scoring 2018 runs at 41 with two centuries.

A remarkable one-day tour of India in 2013 produced 478 runs at 96 and earned him a call-up to Australia’s Test team for the 2013-14 summer where he was part of the 5-0 Ashes whitewash.

Bailey’s decision to stand down as T20 captain was to focus on his four-day game in an attempt to return to the Test squad, but he has never ruled out playing in the 20-over format at the highest level again.

Australia’s limited-overs tour now enters the ODI stage with the first of five one-day matches to be played in Southampton on Thursday where Bailey is expected resume his place in the middle order.